I. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to the field of brassiere straps and more particularly to a weight-distribution and cushioning support which protects women's shoulders against discomfort and injury from suspension of weight of breasts by brassiere shoulder straps.
II. Description of the Prior Art.
Support of medium-to-large sized breasts by brassiere straps has caused problems of disfigurement of shoulder tissues, unsightly appearance, discomfort and occasional injury since the advent of brasseries. Wide brassiere straps do not always solve the problem because they do not distribute weight evenly over wide areas. Nor are they attractive and feminine enough for most use conditions. Various forms of padding have been devised but have not become popular for a number of reasons.
A strap-bearing pad described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,399 by Davis had a top rigid layer and a bottom soft layer. A brassiere strap was held between pairs of tabs at each end. This had merit but the pad bottom layer was attached permanently to the top layer. Whenever the bottom layer became unusable with wear and contamination with skin discharge and items with which it was washed or stored, the top portion had to be discarded with the bottom portion. It was difficult to find a suitable bottom portion that could be cleaned well and still provide adequate cushioning. The Davis device was relatively thick and limited to athletic and nursing uses, rather than being amenable to aesthetic uses by women with breasts large enough to require firm support.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,734 granted to Dopyera also described a shoulder-strap pad which had a cushioned bottom fixed to a top portion. Its strap-attachment method was different from the Davis patent. But its permanent attachment of a bottom cushion had the same use-life and aesthetic problems of the Davis patent.
A shoulder protector for shoulder straps described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,749 by Trent was limited to a pad with a particular type of embedded attachment member. It did not describe a cushioning member nor an attachable cushion member that is removably attachable to a shoulder pad having convenient strap-attachment means taught by this invention.